Interview with Damon Furberg Casting Director for The Real World 22

In the 8th installment of my interview with a reality TV and game show casting director, I spoke with Damon Furberg who is currently casting MTV’s The Real World 22.

 

Damon has been working in reality TV for about 7-8 years and has cast shows like Road Rules, The Simple Life, Bad Girls, Starting Over, Taildaters and The Real World since Season 12 in Las Vegas.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): Damon, thanks for taking the time to speak with us today. So tell us why you are excited about casting The Real World?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): It is a great show to work on. We really interview people in depth for the show because we are looking for 7 people with personalities strong enough to carry the show for an entire season.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): What makes a great cast on The Real World?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): There are a lot of factors, but I really don’t know until I find the cast. Every person is so unique so once we find all 7 there tends to be some great drama and dynamics on the show.

 

Click here to view the latest open casting calls of The Real World 22

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): Where is the next season of The Real World going to be held? Also what type of people are you looking for?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): We don’t know where it is going to take place yet. We are looking for charismatic, outgoing people that don’t really censor themselves. We are looking for open people, in the age range of 18-24 that are at a turning point in their lives. Just like past seasons we are looking for people to grow up on the show and figure out their next move in life. Also we cast many types of people that are different from one another and that helps to create the drama.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): What do you love about reality TV and casting The Real World?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): I like the idea that anyone can be special. It is great that people can get recognition by being on a reality show. This show has had some positive effects on society. Everyone wants to feel that their job has a positive effect and by working on this show I am able to bring different people together and watch them grow.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): How hard is it to get on The Real World?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): People shouldn’t be intimidated to apply. We want this to be a positive experience and for it to be fun also. There are a lot of applicants that try out every season, so yes it is very tough because there are only so many spots available.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): We have a lot of members that live throughout the United States, does that hurt them if they don’t live in Los Angeles or New York?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): Not at all. There is no regional bias. We try to keep the cast diverse so we travel throughout the US looking for the right people. An ideal situation would be to have 7 strangers from different parts of the country.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): Does it pay to go to an open casting call? Is it better for the applicant to meet the casting director in person?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): There is no substitute for meeting someone face to face. Also you will find out a lot quicker if you are even in the running by attending an open casting call. If you can’t make the open call be sure to apply online because we still review all submitted applications.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): Do you have any pointers for people trying out for the show? Any gimmicks that help?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): There really aren’t any gimmicks that you can use. Just be yourself and hope that you are interesting. If you don’t have the goods to back it up then you won’t make it. We just look for the complete package that is going to work well with the rest of the cast. Just because we don’t pick you doesn’t mean that you aren’t interesting it just might not be a good fit with other people we are looking at. Remember we are picking 7 out of 15,000 so don’t take it personally if you don’t get picked.

 

Q. Jason, (RealityWanted.com): What kind of Do’s and Don’ts do you have for us when making a tape to submit?

 

A. Damon Furberg, (Casting Director): There are a lot of things but make sure you spend a couple minutes talking about yourself. Keep it simple but let us know who you are. Don’t go overboard and over produce it, real talent is hard to overlook. Also something to steer away from is rehearsing it too much. Go in knowing 3-4 things about you that make you interesting. At the end of the day we are looking for the right personality for the show, not someone that just has gimmicks. This show has been around for a lot of years so we are not looking for another Puck or a character that has been on in the past. We want to know about you, not how you compare to other characters from past seasons.

 

Click here to view the latest open casting calls of The Real World 22

 

 

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